Guest Post: Emotions Rise

Today I am pleased to present this amazing and beautiful poem by Amy Phoenix of Peace4Parents and Innate Wholeness. Amy is a fellow Natural Parents Network volunteer who somehow manages to exude her peacefulness right through the computer. Please check out her blogs, find her on Facebook and read on to see why she is awesome.
 

Emotions rise like a toiled soul coming up from the depths of darkness
A well of uncertainty, sorrow, and strife
Angry words spew from your mouth to my ears

Both
Of our hearts racing as the blood rushes through
Our bodies
In response to the pain

I recoil
You resist

Reactive anger has done its damage, again.

Moments pass
The hurt surfaces
Threatening to repeat the cycle in another form

The breath releases
A choice presents

Focus on the pain, or allow it through
Ever so observant
No words
No actions
Only breath
And sensations

Emotions rise to be heard again
Like a geyser from the center of the earth
Deserving the space

To be met
In the moment
With Love

Hoffman Week, Day 4: Plath, Sexton, and Co.

OK, I cheated. I've had such a horrible case of writer's block, but I didn't want to disappoint, so I have chosen to post this poem from the actual class I took. Unfortunately, this was also the last class she taught me as she passed away before the end of the semester. I wrote this poem in response to the movie, Girl, Interrupted. It's not the worst thing I ever wrote.

I remember what it was like to be sane.
The grass was green, the sky was blue
and life made sense, even to a school girl.
Then one day, it went dark.
They told me I had to figure my life out by the end of homeroom.
I needed to have a plan for my future, one that involved college
Studying
And not boys.
I realized then I didn’t know what I wanted.
I couldn’t.
I still don’t know how they expected me not to go crazy,
constantly being compared to the better, prettier, smarter girls
as if I wasted my existence on
cigarettes, dead trees and alcohol.
I wanted to write.
Apparently, that was crazy.

Inside those padded, brick walls I fell.
Fell into a state of confusion
bliss
remission
reflection on the world and all who claim to be in it.
Inside is a different world
free from judgment
shame
privacy
and free from any decision you might have to make on the rest of your life.
Free. It was far from free to be in here, but as luck would have it,
My parents had more money than love for me.

Where did it go, the “world” I once knew?
I’ve emerged from the prison,
walked the plank,
chewed and clawed through my chains
and for What?
I returned to a place where nothing has changed.
For once, I am whole, just as everyone seems to be
falling apart.
I hope some day they will realize
that sanity lies only in the willingness
to be crazy.

Hoffman Week, Day 2: Intro to World Literature

I must admit that I do not remember anything about this class, however, I know that as long as I make a good argument for my work, she will accept it. 

I miss you.

But I don't know why.
It's not as if I knew you that well, I mean
how well can you know someone who had an entire life before you.

So why should I miss you? I left for good reason.
I was happy to go because I wanted a new life.
I wanted to move on. To learn, to grow, to change.
Like you should.

I miss you. Time has passed but this remains true. Why can't I stop?

You never treated me specially. I was just another person in your life.
You hardly knew me and I know you didn't try to.
This made it easy to leave. But it was still hard.

Sometimes, I thought, I could walk away and never think of you again.
Sometimes, I can't stop thinking of you. I hate that I miss you.

But at least I admit it.

I'm sure not many people do.


I miss you. You were all I knew since birth. My home. My country.


But I would rather miss you than spend another minute within your walls.

Anthem

Welcome to the Earth Day Blog Carnival

This post is part of the Earth Day Blog Carnival hosted by Child of the Nature Isle and Monkey Butt Junction. Each participant has shared their practices and insights of earth friendly, environmentally conscious, eco-living. This carnival is our way to share positive information and inspiration that can create healing for our planet. Please read to the end of this post to find a list of links to the other carnival participants. Happy Earth Day!

The word “we” can be used interchangeably with “She,” “Nature/The Earth,” and especially “I.”

We go to bed, tired.

We wake up, tired.

We change, we move, we breathe.

We create.

We take time to play.

We build, we break, we repair.

We wash, use and reuse.

We relax, we forget, we persevere.

We do. We promote. We advocate. We collaborate. We succumb.

We touch, we fuss, we love. We become devoted.

We produce. We provide. We pacify.

We blanket. We cradle. We nurture.

We sustain. Life.

We do this for our children.

We do this for our future.

We do this for our planet.

Visit Monkey Butt Junction and Child of the Nature Isle to read all about the Earth Day Blog Carnival.
***
Going Green in 2011 - Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama discusses the way she and her family are going “greener” in 2011.

Our Greatest Teacher - Amanda at Let’s Take the Metro shares her experiences with her children and nature, their greatest teacher.

Dreaming of Spring Gardening - Erin of the Waterloons talks about the ultimate in local food, her backyard garden.

Earth Conscious Minimalism - Nada at miniMOMist thinks minimalism can help you save the world — as long as you don’t just toss everything in the trash! Check out Her list of places to donate (bet you haven’t thought of them all!).

Blessings to the Earth - Amy at Anktangle believes that a simple act, such as being intentionally grateful for our food, is just the catalyst we need to bring about large-scale change.

Eight Movies to Inspire Change - Mrs Green at Little Green Blog shares her top 8 movies that have inspired her to take action to make the world a better place. She’d love to hear your suggestions to add to her viewing list!

Can I Have a Green Period Too? Kelly at Becoming Crunchy shares the environmental impact of switching to sustainable menstrual products, along with offering a great Mama Cloth giveaway for anyone interested in making the switch (and for those who already have and want to increase their stash!).

An Eden to Call Our Own - Lucy at Dreaming Aloud shares how learning to care for the Earth starts in her own garden.

Elimination Communication - Melissa at the New Mommy Files discusses the environmental impact of diapering, and why elimination communication was the best choice for her family.

The Living Earth: A Meditation in Science and Reverence - Seonaid at The Practical Dilettante asks you to pause to wonder at the blessing of the fact that our living planet is here at all.

Earth Day Anthem - Amanda at Let’s Take the Metro created a poem in honor of Mother Earth, women and nurturers everywhere.

The Plasticity of Compromise - Zoie at TouchstoneZ shares how she is working to compromise on healthy family living and avoiding plastics whenever possible.

Earth Day Resolutions - Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares why she has decided to make Earth Day resolutions, what those resolutions are, and how they are a step up from her current efforts at green living.

Is it time for you to say “Enough!”? Mrs Green at My Zero Waste asks you to rise up and say ‘Enough!’ on Earth Day.

Homeschooling with the Earth - Terri at Child of the Nature Isle shares her desires and dreams for Earth-based learning and the ways her two young children have already started a natural curriculum.

Beyond the Green Sheen - Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction offers some advice on how to avoid greenwashing and make purchasing choices that really have a positive impact.

I've Kept this Piece of Paper for a Long Time

In one of her classes, Barbara Hoffman handed us this poem by Taylor Mali. It is as true now as it was then or perhaps even more so. I have always found it to be the perfect way to wake people up about speech, grammar and general English principles and think it should become more mainstream. Since I don't want to get in trouble by putting this poem on my blog, I'm just going to link to it and pray that you all follow! I promise you won't be disappointed.

Totally like whatever, you know?